The soft, muted shadows of early morning filled my master bedroom as my single jade-green eye fluttered open. Instantly alert to the danger of the rising sun, I didn't wait for any stray beams of light to hit my sensitive, mutated skin. I lunged out of bed and immediately checked that the heavy window curtains were sealed completely tight, ensuring not a single crack of daylight could penetrate our sanctuary.
Once the room was safely plunged back into darkness, I unbuttoned my soiled Victorian maid dress from yesterday, tossing it into the hamper. Instead of putting on a fresh uniform, I decided to blend in a bit more today. I pulled a simple, durable commoner's dress from my wardrobe, slipping into the unpretentious fabric before securing my leather eyepatch and checking the straps of my gear.
Stepping out into the hallway, I noticed that the door to Evelyn's room… right next to mine, was already standing wide open. The bed was neatly made, meaning my newly appointed knight was already up and moving.
I trotted down the wooden stairs and found Evelyn in the kitchen, carefully pouring steaming water into a small clay teapot. She looked up, her beautiful face lighting up as she caught sight of me.
"Morning, sleepyhead! I was just making some tea before heading out. It's time for my first official day of work!"
Seeing her uniform perfectly pressed and ready to go reminded me of my own agenda for the day. I couldn't just sit around House 132 while she braved the capital. I desperately needed to head to the Capital Knight Bureau Association myself to address the Neospider silk shortage with the authorities, secure the official gathering contract, and finally get my fire-resistant crimson trench coat repaired and resized by Olive.
Moving quickly, I pulled out a scrap piece of paper and scribbled down a brief message. I stepped up to the kitchen counter, gently catching her arm to stop her mid-sip, and handed her the note:
"Can I come with you?"
Behind my back, my massive, dark blood wings gave a slow, rhythmic flutter, betraying my quiet eagerness to get moving.
Evelyn read the note, her eyes sparkling with delight as she set her teacup down.
"Sure, big sister! Let's walk to the Bureau together. It'll be nice to have your company for my first walk to the office."
I gave her a firm, appreciative nod. Walking over to the coat rack, I threw my heavy canvas traveler's cloak over my shoulders, pulled the deep, oversized hood far forward to completely conceal my face, grabbed my shotgun and strapped it in my back, and hid my missing arm, and blood wings from the public eye. I grabbed my leather purse, checking that my remaining six silver coins were secured inside, and unhooked my weapons.
With Evelyn stepping out in her gleaming white-and-scarlet Luminous Knight attire and me walking in her shadow as a heavily cloaked commoner, we unlocked the front door and stepped out into the crisp morning air, leaving the safety of House 132 behind.
We walked side by side down the cobblestone streets, the crisp morning air rustling the edges of my heavy traveler's cloak. As we rounded the corner, we spotted the district paperboy, Charlie, making his morning rounds and tossing the daily print toward the porches of the nearby tenements. He paused for a moment as we approached, his eyes tracking the stark, undeniable contrast between us… me, a heavily cloaked figure with deeply battle-hardened, tanned skin, and Evelyn, standing tall in her pristine uniform with her naturally flawless, pale complexion.
The moment Evelyn caught sight of the boy, all her professional knightly appearance vanished. She began jumping up and down excitedly, waving her arms to catch his attention.
"Charlie! We're over here!" she called out cheerfully.
Charlie grinned and waved back warmly. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he sailed a rolled-up newspaper straight toward us. Evelyn leaped slightly and caught it mid-air with perfect coordination. She unrolled it eagerly, and I leaned my hooded head over her shoulder, peeping at the bold typography of the Caria Times… Saturday Edition.
Right there on the front page, the headline practically shouted at us: Newly Appointed Luminous Knight Evelyn Rynd Ranked Third in the Country!
It was exactly as she had told me last night over our dinner of canned meats. Seeing it in official print made a wave of silent pride wash over me, though it also served as a grim reminder of the target now painted on her back.
I nudged her gently with my single arm, prompting her to skim further down the page. My eye caught a secondary headline detailing the economic aftermath of my recent contract:
Caria Mines Recover Two Full Minecarts of Jewelry! For the first time in six years, the capital will finally taste the wealth of the deep earth.
The article went on to explain that the fifth mineshaft, which had been completely inaccessible for over half a decade, was the deepest sector of the entire operation, rich with untouched veins of diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires. Now that the Slime King was dead and the breeding grounds of the slimes… along with Evelyn's former domain… had been completely neutralized, the deepest levels of the mines were officially declared safe for the workers. My devastating battlefield victory had truly saved the city's economy from absolute ruin.
But my satisfaction was instantly cut short as my eye caught a small, urgent bulletin at the very bottom of the page.
Warning: Two weeks since the Crimson Phantom entered Caria. The blood-sucking winged demon remains at large. By royal decree, a new martial law states that all houses, residents, and tenements will undergo mandatory, door-to-door house inspections every day at noon.
A cold dread pierced straight through my chest. I stared at the print, my jaw tightening beneath my hood. It had indeed been nearly two weeks since I first arrived in Caria, but I had no idea the military's desperation had reached such a dire, invasive level. A daily house inspection at high noon… the exact time the burning sun forced me to hide indoors with the curtains sealed tight… meant my sanctuary at House 132 was no longer safe. If the guards busted through my door while I was resting with my massive blood wings unfurled and my dress exposed, my identity would be compromised instantly.
Evelyn's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she read the bulletin. She spun around to face me, her voice dropping to a frantic, terrified whisper.
"No... Big sister, this is horrible! You're about to get caught!"
Seeing her spiral into a panic right there on the public street, I immediately took control of the situation. I raised my single right hand, placing it gently on her shoulder, and gave her a slow, incredibly calm gesture… a steady press of my palm and a reassuring tilt of my head, silently telling her to breathe and trust me.
"Don't worry. I am alright. I've survived worse than a few city guards." I thought
Evelyn looked into the shadow of my hood, swallowing hard as my calm demeanor forced her to compose herself. She gripped her white-and-scarlet knight cap tightly against her chest, her expression shifting from fear to fierce, unyielding determination.
"Don't worry, big sister, I will protect you. No matter what happens during those inspections, I swear I will never tell a single soul about your wings, or that you're the blood-sucking winged demon they're looking for. You gave me a home, and I'll keep your secrets safe."
I offered her a tight, grateful nod from beneath my dark canvas hood. With the stakes higher than ever and the clock ticking down toward noon, we picked up our pace, marching purposefully toward the grand gates of the Capital Knight Bureau Association to secure the silk I needed to finally ready myself for war.
We continued our brisk pace until the towering iron-reinforced archway of the 3rd District checkpoint came into view. Standing guard at his usual post was Renny, the friendly gatekeeper who had so kindly helped me carry that heavy load of laundry and canned meats just yesterday afternoon.
As he saw us approaching, his eyes shifted from my heavily cloaked, shadowed figure to Evelyn's pristine white-and-scarlet military uniform, and his jaw practically dropped.
"Well, well, well! Look at you two, the two sisters taking an early morning walk… one legendary S-rank bounty hunter, and one newly enlisted Luminous Knight! I must say, Evelyn, you are absolutely the face of the morning newspaper today. With a charming, beautiful face like yours, it's no wonder the capital is buzzing. Anyway, duties are duties... tolls and status cards, please."
Even a seasoned guard like Renny couldn't completely hide the subtle flush on his cheeks. Evelyn's burstful, incredibly attractive appearance and her jaw-dropping hourglass figure… even compressed beneath her tactical silver breastplate, made the gatekeeper's heart visibly flutter. Walking beside her in my plain commoner's dress and tattered canvas cloak, I felt completely invisible, looking far less attractive than my radiant baby sister. But honestly, I preferred it that way; the less attention drawn to the Crimson Phantom, the better.
Evelyn offered him a bright, dazzling smile that only made the poor guard's blush deepen.
"Definitely, Renny! We're heading straight to the Bureau right now."
I reached into my pocket to pull out my status card, but as my fingers brushed against my leather purse, a cold realization hit me. Between buying those dresses for Evelyn and paying the previous fees, I was a few coins short of a comfortable balance. Sensing my hesitation, Evelyn smoothly stepped in. Before I could even reach for my remaining six silver pieces, she pulled out her own coin purse, cleanly paid the tolls for both of us, and flashed her new credentials. Renny stamped our cards with a polite salute, and we left the 3rd District behind.
From there, the long trek across the capital's sprawling sectors truly began. We marched out of the residential zones and passed through the 4th District, then navigated the crowded lanes of the 5th District's residential tenements. Next came the familiar bustling sights of the 6th District's merchant market, where the vendors from yesterday were still setting up their colorful stalls.
We pressed onward into the lively 7th District, weaving through the grand theaters and neon-lit facades of the entertainment district, which was just beginning to wake up. Finally, after a grueling walk, we crossed the threshold into the elite 8th District, the highly fortified sector where the grand headquarters of the Capital Knight Bureau Association resided.
Through every single inner-wall checkpoint and district gate we crossed, my amazing baby sister didn't let me spend a single bronze coin. She proudly took charge, happily paying out all of our travel tolls with her new military stipend, acting every bit like the high-ranking Luminous Knight she now was, while keeping her winged, monstrous older sister safely hidden in her shadow.